Chapter 681

Chapter 681:
She opened the car window just a bit, letting the cool morning air hit her face, and it did help her settle down.
After a moment, she reached for her phone, tapped a few times, then asked, “Can you give me your Choria address?”
Rutherford gave it without hesitation, not asking a single question in return. He trusted her.
Stella didn’t explain right away. She just said, “I ordered something for you. It’ll be delivered in a few days, so keep an eye out.”
A hint of curiosity flashed in Rutherford’s eyes. “What made you want to get me something?”
“You drove me to work and bought me breakfast. I thought it was only fair to return the favor,” she said. “It’s a woody-scented candle. It feels like your kind of thing.”
It wasn’t just any candle, either. It was from a luxury brand—definitely not something you’d pick up on a whim. Stella didn’t like owing people favors, and when someone did something for her, she made sure to give back.
Rutherford was pleased that she’d picked something personal.
“Since it’s from you, Ms. Gilbert, I’ll light it every night when I get home. Wouldn’t want that thoughtfulness to go to waste.”
As they pulled up to the institute, Stella thanked him again. “I appreciate today, but there’s no need to pick me up tomorrow. See you.”
Before he could respond, she had already stepped out and was walking toward the building.
Rutherford knew Stella had left in a rush because she was worried he might reject her proposal.
Watching her figure disappear, he let out a low chuckle, then stepped on the gas and pulled away from the lab’s entrance.
Barely ten seconds later, William’s car rolled in behind him, pulling straight into the underground garage of the research institute.
He’d been tailing them the entire way, fuming the whole time. He couldn’t see what they were doing or saying inside the car—and that only made it worse.
As soon as he stepped into the building, a young colleague called out to him, “Good morning, William!”
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She was a new hire, fresh out of school, and had barely been at the institute for a year. Before today, she hadn’t even dared to make eye contact with him, let alone speak.
But the others kept telling her not to overthink it—William just had a cold face, that’s all.
So she finally gathered the nerve to greet him. William didn’t even glance at her. He just walked straight into the elevator with that icy expression locked in place. Her courage instantly shriveled up. She silently promised herself never to try again.
Meanwhile, just as Stella stepped out of Rutherford’s car, Sandra’s taxi happened to stop across the street.
Later, after Stella arrived at the lab and threw on her coat, Sandra bounced in, her voice bright and chipper.
“Morning, Sylvia! Morning, Elbert! Morning, Jamir!”
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